Capitol News
Citizen’s Guide to State Government | Michigan Legislature
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2023 |
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Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4001, now Public Act 4 of 2023, on March 7. It will save 500,000 eligible retired taxpayers an average of $1,000 per year... |
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The first month of the Democratic trifecta in Michigan moved with lightning speed to display its priorities and ability to exercise its prerogatives. Capturing my focused attention was the gubernatorial and legislative announced intentions to move retiree income tax relief as their first priority bills... |
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In the political world, the beginning of odd-numbered years like 2023 also means new policy makers at all levels of government and consequently new political dynamics. While the drama of 15 votes to select a new Speaker for the U.S. House captured mainstream... |
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2022 |
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The November 8 election brought a sea of change to Michigan in the form of an unexpected blue wave rather than a forecasted red tsunami. There was a record turn-out for Michigan’s midterm election... |
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By the time you read this in print, our airwaves and various inboxes will be liberated from incessant political ads and hopefully we will have newly elected, undisputed officeholders in Michigan and the U.S. Congress. The newly elected State Senators and State Representatives... |
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Early absentee voting began September 29 in Michigan. Four of Michigan’s 13 congressional districts are considered tossups (3, 7, 8, and 10) and our three statewide ballot proposals are being closely watched nationally... |
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Lawmakers won’t be in Lansing very much in the run-up to the voting period of September 29 (when early absentee voting at your clerk’s office begins) and November 8 (the last day to vote). There is uniform apprehension about being away from their districts... |
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Lots of news this month, especially about elections. Attracting attention also is the new $40 million 40,000 square foot Heritage Hall visitor center under the west ground near the Michigan Capitol. It will be welcoming visitors after Labor Day... |
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The Legislature recessed on July 1 and is scheduled to reconvene for one day on July 20, then off for some more weeks before another one-day session on August 17. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of political activity elsewhere, including on the campaign trail... |
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Signature fraud on petitions, great revenue news, budget negotiations, initiated law petition drives, and a first ballot proposal approval all made May and early June an exciting time... |
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Both chambers have now passed their versions of department budgets and the next step is conference committees composed of representatives from each chamber’s appropriation sub-committee... |
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You know it’s close to spring when potholes sprout in Michigan along with the snowdrops and crocus. Governor Whitmer signed an Executive Directive recently ordering a speed up in pothole repairs on State trunk-line highways, but that is not going to fix local roads... |
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Despite the adversities created by a snow event in Lansing and the pandemic, there was still a lot of news this month... |
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The biggest news in the political world this past month was the approval of new district lines for Michigan’s 13 Congressional seats and 148 State legislative districts. The Legislature returns... |
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2021 |
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As days shorten and winter sets in, issues are heating up in Lansing as we now approach the 2022 election year. Improvements to our defined benefit pension, redistricting, petition drives, and COVID dominated the news of interest to State employee retirees... |
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The volume and speed of relevant news is picking up in Lansing! But first... |
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The House and Senate were scheduled to return for their fall session September 9 and must tackle the looming budget deadline of September 30... |
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The House of Representatives and Senate have been on recess since late June except for a day or two in July. The House of Representatives is scheduled to return for the week of August 15 and the Senate for a day on August 25 before starting their tentative fall schedule on August 31... |
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You could almost hear a statewide sigh of relief on June 1 when the capacity limits for outdoor events like baseball games and outdoor residential gatherings were lifted entirely. Indoor capacity limits increased from 25 percent to 50 percent... |
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The biggest news of the month is that Michigan has moved to a new metric for determining COVID-related restrictions. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on April 29 the “MI Vacc to Normal” plan that will use four vaccination-based milestones... |
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During March, the Legislature took some important actions just before leaving for a two-week “district work” break from March 26 through April 12. State employees who are currently teleworking... |
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With the new Biden administration and bare Democratic majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate, what might be the future of SS and Medicare? To discuss that question... |
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January, in odd-numbered years, is very busy at the Capitol. New legislators are inducted, the Governor’s State of the State address is given, and the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference all happen in January... |
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While the pandemic continues to structure our daily lives and the economy, political events continue to amaze... |
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2020 |
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COVID-19’s spread topped the news this month along with post-election news... |
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Election activities and news dominated the landscape in the last month. The Michigan Legislature met on October 13 and 21 and November 5 since the last report... |
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A slow month it was not: a foiled kidnapping attempt on the Governor and attack on the capitol that made international news; presidential election frenzy; and the Michigan Supreme Court ruling the Governor’s Executive Orders on the pandemic are unconstitutional. Oh, and a State budget for Fiscal Year 2021 passed quietly without even a hearing... |
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The Governor continues to focus on running the state under emergency conditions for COVID-19 matters and the Legislature returned from their summer hiatus on September 1 for a few weeks... |
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The August 4 primary and the COVID-19 pandemic dominated Michigan news in the last month... |
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COVID-19 continued to dominate the news amid continuing global protests about racial injustice. Meanwhile, the state prepared for its August primary and a budget deal was struck... |
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It was a slow month in Michigan — pandemic, economic paralysis, widespread civil unrest, and a 500-year flood in the Midland area... |
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The Legislature, like the rest of us, has been predominantly sequestering themselves at home with just a few in-person meetings in April and early May... |
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Most of the state’s March news involved COVID-19, but the Governor signed a bill that we supported... |
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With the March 10 primary behind us, we can enjoy a brief respite before intensive campaigning begins, our mailboxes fill up and phones start ringing. And with the novel coronavirus COVID-19 hitting the elderly hard, let’s follow the advice of our health experts to stay safe... |
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We are in the midst of the first quarter of an election year, practically the last time state legislators are going to pass anything controversial like raising taxes... |
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The Legislature broke for the winter holidays on December 19 amid a flurry of activity to settle many of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 budget disputes. The legislative session resumes on January 8, 2020... |
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2019 |
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The Legislature’s last day before its holiday break is December 19 with plans to return January 8, 2020... |
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Governor Whitmer has appointed SERA member Lauri Schmidt of Williamston to the State of Michigan Retirement Board which provides oversight of the state employee’s pension fund... |
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The talk of the town is the GOP-controlled legislature waiting until the last minute to send the Governor FY2020 budget bills and then the Governor’s bold budget vetoes. However, there was plenty of other news in the last month... |
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The Michigan Senate returned on August 27 and the Michigan House on the day following, ending its 9-week summer “district work.”... |
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The legislature remained adjourned during July while news outlets reported snippets of information about quiet budget talks among legislative and executive branch leaders. Each chamber has passed a proposed budget... |
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For the last 8 years, the GOP-led Michigan legislature finished the budget in mid-June, the Republican Governor signed it promptly, and everyone left for the summer. This year with a GOP-led legislature and a Democratic Governor disagreeing on budget priorities... |
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May saw continued movement of appropriation bills, conclusive activity on auto no-fault insurance reform, and the legislative and executive branch leadership decamping to Mackinac Island for the... |
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The Governor is still traveling the state touting her budget and policy priorities; the GOP-led legislative appropriation committees are moving their bills without her 45 cent gas tax increase, and a federal court decision rocked the capitol this month... |
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The Michigan Legislature was on spring recess for two weeks in late March and early April giving Governor Whitmer extra time to travel the state and pitch her proposed budget and policy priorities... |
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Highlights since our last report are the Governor’s budget presentation, hearings on pension tax repeal, and legislative committees finally beginning to move from... |
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Because of the polar vortex visiting Michigan just after Martin Luther King Day, all three branches of state government were either shut down or operating with fewer staff... |
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Happy New Year and welcome to the beginning of a new legislative session, the 100th Legislature in Michigan history, with a new Governor... |
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2018 |
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At this writing we are in the midst of Lame Duck session, a time when high priority and some surprise new bills emerge because the 99th Legislature ends December 31... |
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With the mid-term election over, Michigan’s officeholders can get down to the business of governing... |
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On November 6 we will be selecting a new Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and voting in contested races for the... |
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As predicted, the scheduled August 15 legislative session was an administrative formality without attendance taken or any voting as most were busy on the campaign trail. However the scheduled September 5 and 6 sessions were very active... |
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Neither the Michigan House nor Senate met on July 25 as previously scheduled. The House chambers were under construction on that day and the Senate announced it would not take role or any votes... |
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Although the legislative schedule called for the legislative summer recess to begin June 21, the legislature decided to go home June 12 after it took final action on the two budget bills... |
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The House and Senate began their summer break June 12, earlier than planned. They will meet one day in July, one day in August and return... |
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Both chambers have now passed budgets, but both chambers make major changes to what Republican Gov. Rick Snyder recommended in February... |
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The Michigan Legislature was on spring break beginning March 23 through April 9, but there was still plenty of political news to report since... |
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After the Governor’s proposed budget was released in early February, the House and Senate appropriations committees began their hearings... |
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The two biggest stories around the capitol in January and early February were tax cuts, the FY 17-18 budget, and the MSU sexual assault scandal... |
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The Michigan House and Senate adjourned December 13 with the announced intention to return for 2018 on January 10... |
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